Four-cycle internal-combustion engine.



:,LREnUSHUN ENGINE.

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POUR GYJLE Patented N 0V. 3, 1914.

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INVENTCFI WITNESSES W. M. AUSTIN.

FOUR CYCLE INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE.

APPLIGATION FILED 0OT.23, 1912.

, 4 f f f WITNESSES 'iinrrin s'iafrns PATENT oracion.

WALTER' M. AUSTIN, 0F SWISSVALE, PENN SYLVNIA.

FOUR-CYCLE INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE.

Ta all Iwhom, 'it may concern Be it known that I. WAL-'rim M. AUsTiN, acitizen of the United States, residing at Swissvale, in the .county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, havt` invented new and usefulImprovements in Finir-Cycle Internal-Combustion Engines, otv which the'following is a specification.

This invention relates to internal combustion engines, and moreparticularly to that type in' which the combustible mixture iscompressed prior to ignition.

In what is known as the four cycle engine there. are four strokes. Thefirst stroke draws in the charge ot' combustible mixture, the secondstroke compresses the charge, in the third stroke the charge is ignited,and on the fourth stroke the engine cylinder is scaveiiged or cleared ofthe products of combustin. It is highy dt able in order to secure themaximum e..- ency and reliability, tliat the engiir.` c i'iindei becleared o the products oi7 couilaist 'aon as completely as possible on'the scavenging stroke, so that .When a fresh charge ot ci'imbustiblcmixture is taken into the angine cylinder, the saine will not becontaminated with burntoi inert gases ii'hich tends to vitiate themixture and render` the ignition point infra uncertain. The ignitionstroke should also be as long as possible in order to utilize theexpansive force ot the ignited mixture to the largest extent.- On thecompression stroke aceitnin amount of clearance space must he providedfor the compressed charge of combustible mixture, while the suctionstroke docs not need to be as long as the ignition stroke, in order todraw in that amount oie cou'ibustiblc mixture which would be the mosteconomical. It ivill thus be evident that to secure the best efficiency,the four strokes of the engine should be of variable length, thescavenging stroke being such as tiA practicallydrive out all theproducts of conibustion, the ignition stroke being longer than thesuction stroke, and the compression stroke bcingsuch that a clearancespace re-` eaeiafg,e.the range 'of regulation of an internal combustionen gine.

Specication of Letters Patent. Application led October 23. 1912. SerialNo. 727,335.

Patented Nov. 3, 1.914.

detailed description of my invention.`

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a central vertical .section ofan internal combustion engine embodying my improvements; Fig. 2 ahorizontal section ther-cot` on the line B--B of Fig. l; Fig. 3 a detailView of the connecting rod of the engine; F g. 4 a section of theconnecting rod on the line AMA of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 a central verticalsection of t-lie engine piston at right angles to the section shown inFig. 1; Fig. 6 a detail view of the collar employed as an abutment foreach valve spring; Fig. 7 a

.detail view showing the application of said collar to a valve stem;Fig. 8 a scc-tion of the main crank shaft portion of the Yengine on theline Cf@ of Fig. I; Fig. 9a diagranin'iatic view shoii-'ing the relativepositions of the parts at the end of the expansion stroke; Fig. 10 lasiniilar'view of the parts at the end of the exhaust stroke.; Fig. 1l asimilar view at the end of the suctionstroke;

Fig. l2 a similar view at the end of the compression stroke; and Fig.1?' a diagram showing the path described by'. the center of the rotatingend of the`connecting rod for a complete cycle.

I preferably accomplish the objects of my invention by connecting theend of the en gine connecting rod with an eccentric or auxiliary crank.device., which auxiliary crank is in turn rotatably mounted on the crankpin of theA main crank shaft. According to my invention means areprovided for causing the auxiliary crank shaft to rotate about the maincrank pin one half of a revolution for each Whole revolution of the maincrank shaft. Preferably this is accomplished by providing an internalgear secured to the auxiliary crank and `meshing with a stationary gearhaving its axis common with the axis of the main crank shaft.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the cylinder casing l of theinternal combustion engine is provided with the usual water coolingspace having an inlet port 6 and outlet port 7. Within the. cylinder l.is a piston chamber 3S containing the piston 33v tionaiav sour gear V10is clamped in position when the crank casing fastened to the cylindercasing' and forms a bearing for one end ot the main crank sha't't 153.Said crank shaft is preferably supported on ball bearings, the hallliearing l1 at one end beingv secured in position by the crank andcylinder easings. and the other ball hearing 12 heinf:r set-,ared withinthe stationary gear l0. The connecting rod 22 is operatively attached tothel piston 83 'tlirough cross head 3l and oscillates on a ball bearing30; The opposite end of the cminecting rod l2 is operatively connectedto the crank pin 14 of the main crank shait through an eccentric orauxiliary crank 1T, preferably provided with a ball bearing. On one sideof the eccentric 1T an inlet valve operating cam 15 and on the. oppositeside thereof is an exhaust valve operating cam 1G, each cam preferablyhaving a ball bearing support on the main crank shaft.

Preferably formed integrally with the cam 16 is an internal gear 19meshing with the stationary gear lO and the cams l5 and 1C are securedto the eccentric 17 hy means of bolts 18.

The engine inlet and exhaust valves 754 and 35 are preferahlv mounted onthe head of the piston 3?; and are proa'ided respectively with valvestems $39 and 13. On each valve stem is mount-ed a lspringr 'i1 tendingto hold the valve closed, a slotted collar l-O being provided to lact asan abutmentel'or the-spring. The valve stem is also slotted on oppositesides so as to leave a thickness equal, to the width of the slot andthe'collar is provided with an annular recess 1G o'l the same dian'ieteras lihe valve stem so that the collar may he slipped onto the valve stemat the slotted portion and then allor-'ed to drop in position with theround portion of the valve stem fitting within the recess of the collar.as shown in Fig. 7. For opetat-ingr the inlet and exhaust valves, a.valve rod E213 is mounted on each side ol'Y the connectingl rod ifi/2 inposition to eng-.ige the projecting ends o'' the alve stems 3f) and l5.The piston endvolt the connecting rod is provided with a guide member2f) havingr hearings within which the rods ift reciprocate. 'i he crankend ol' the comici-ting rod is also prmide-:l with a ,Q'uide member QSslotted to form fluide bearings for the oppo i site ends ot the valverods 26. Said opposite. end of each valve rod i-` provided with jaws 25between which is mounted a roller 28 on a pin 2l. The. rollers 2;; areadapted to engage the contact faces of the cams l5 and 1G and aremaintained in contact therewith by means of springs 27 heli t'nderconpres sion between the guide members and the jaws 25. The can 15 isprovided with a projecting portion 20 adapted to engage the end of thevalve rod for the inlet valve 3l at the proper time to open same and thecam 1li provided with a projecting portion 31 adal'ited to engage theend oli' the valve rod tor the exhaust valve to open same at the desiredtime.

An inlet port 3 is provided in the cylinder easing l which supplies thecombustible mixture to a chamber 3S in the piston 33 and as id chamberis open to the valve 34, when said valve lifts, the combustible mixtureis admitted to the piston chamber 38. An exhaust outlet al is alsoprovided which communicates with an exhaust chamber 37 contained in thepiston 33 and upon opening the exa-aast valve 35, the piston chamber 38is vented to the atmosphere. l

ln order to secure two revolutions of the main crank shaft for one ofthe auxiliary cranks, the pitch diameter of the internal gear l) is madeequal to twice the diameter oi" he main crank circle and the pitchdiameter of the stationary gear 10 is made equal to the diameter of themain crank circle. The internal gear 19 has a planetary movimieut aboutthe stationary 'gear 10 and for every revolution of the main crank shaftthe internal gear and its connected parts rotate one half of arevolution with respectto the axis et the internal gear.

In operation. assume the parts in the position :shown in thc diagram,Fig'. 11, a charge of combustible mixture having been dra u o into thepiston chamber. Il' the parts rotate in the direction indicated by the-arrows, the main crank moves upwardly from the i ,ition shown in Fig.'1.1 to the position shown in Fig. 12. moves around the stationary gear10 and with it the auxiliary crank 17 and while the main crank ismaking' approximately the halt revolution from the position shown inFig'. 11 to the position shown in Fig. 12, the auxiliary crank makesone-fourth of a revo iution about its axis in the saine direction. 'therharpje oteombustible mixture is now compressed intr1 the clearancespace. shown iu hier li.. and the charge being ignited in the mealmanner, the piston moves down' wai vll.` to the por-:itioi'i shown inFig. i), the :nain crank inning mane substantially a complete revolutionwhile the auxiliary crank has` only made one-half of a reVolution. lnthis further movement of the main crank one-half a revolution. theauxiliary crank moves about itsfaxis another onefourth revolution andthe parts assume. the

'position shown in Figi. 10, this stroke being the exhaust .stroke andthe piston being shifted nearly to the cylinder head as shown. (ln thenext stroke. the piston moves downwardly and a charge. of combustible.mixture is drawn in.v thus completing the cycle. The projectingv portionQ1 engages the valve rod of the exhaust valve every fourth er exhaust.stroke ot' the piston, as the auxiliary crank The internal gear 19 'iemployed, within the scope of m makes only one revolution for tworevolutions of the main crank shaft, Whilethe inlet valve 34 is openedby the engagementiof the projecting portion 20 of cam l5 on the suctionstroke and on the other two strokes of the engine both valves are heldclosed.

In Fig. 13 is shown the path described by the lower end of theconnecting rod, the same being in the form of a double loop marked D Dand the circle C being the path of the crank pin 14 as it revolves aboutits center O. The lines connecting the circle C with the curve D Dindicate different positions ofthe auxiliary crank.` T he distance Sindicates the relative length suction stroke, the distance T thecompression stroke, the distance U the expansion stroke, and thedistance V the exhaust stroke.

It will be noted that the exhaust port 4 is so located that it is openeddirectly to the spaceabove the piston near the end of the expansionstroke, so that any gas in the cylinder above atmospheric pressure ispermitted to escape before the opening of the exhaust valve, while onthe shorter suction stroke the exhaust port is covered by the piston 33.

lVhen both the` inlet and exhaust valves are placed in the enginepiston, it is evident that the outside diameter of each valve is limitedto one-half the diameter of the pis ton and if larger valves'arenecessary, as might be the case in a vervhigh speed engine,'one valveonly, pre erably the inlet valve, may be placed in the piston While theexhaust valve is put in the cylinder head,

(lther forms of gear connections may be invention, but l consider thearrangement s own in the drawings as the preferable one and one whichwill operate with a minimum amount of friction. It will also `be obviousthat other forms ot. auxiliary cranks may be enr ployed and that it isnot necessary to use the specific construction illustrated in thedrawings.

Having non' described my invention, what i claim new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isi-f l. ln an internal combustion engine, thecombination with a cylinder, a piston therein, and a main crank, of anauxiliary crank operatively connecting said main crank to said piston, astationary gear, and an internal gear meshing with said stationary gearand having its pitch diameter twice the pitch diameter of the stationarygear, said vgears beingr operatively connected to said auxiliary crankfor causing movement there of about its axis, i

L). ln an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, apiston there in, and a main crank, of an auxiliary crank operativelyconnecting said main crank to said piston, a stationary gear having apitch l i l i l l i l 1 l l i l l l i i i i, i l l l l l i l i i :inauxiliary f* diameter equal to the diameter' of the circle described bythe main crank, and an inter nal gear meshing with said stationary geaz'and having a pitch diameter twice the pitr';y diameter oi' thestationary gear, said intel nal gear being secured to the auxilia crankfor causing one revolution of sa=k about its axis for two revolutions ofi main crank.

In an internal combustion engine, combination with a cylinder, a pistonthe in, and a main crank, .if an auxiliary crany .mounted on the maincrank, a valve cci trolling n port oprn: into the cylinti and means foropef y connecting auxiliary crank to `nl ,ziton and valuy l. lin aninterna onwustion engine. combination within fiyli `ler, a piston l` in,and a main cra; it, f en auxiliary mounted on the niir i yank for ope'i' said piston, a valve ori* olling a port ing into the cylinrhV andmeans on through the movement of said au `i lcrank for controlling' saidwaive.

5. 'In an internal ccznlmstion ennui" combination with a rij-inde y in,a connecting rod main `crunk having 'i 1 i' mounted in said pl ai portopening in'lil sai i rvlin-J xr 'i un. iliary crank in' et zu sai in itr operating sai@` "r and f connecting piston 'wir rontrr t.

inlet iwf-:rt and an exhaus port to i il iin said linder and .flour edon. said crank pin for opcratng said valves and also the pistonconnecting icd.

7. ln an internal combustion engine, the combination with. a cylinder, apiston therein, and a main crank having a crank pin, of a valve mountedin said piston for controlling a port opening into said cylinder, anauxiliary crank mounted on the main crank shaft for operating saidpiston, means for effecting a rotary movement of said auxiliary crankabout its axis, and a cam member operatively connected to said auxiliarycrank for operating said valve. i'

S. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, apiston thereim and a main crank having a crank pin, of a valve mountedin said piston for controlling a, port opening into said cylinder, anauxiliary crank mounted on the main crank shaft for operating saidpiston, means for eifecting a rotary movement of said aux iliary crankabout its axis at the rate of one lrei-"elution While the main crankshaft carried by said auxiliary ing said vulve.

Si. In an internal combustion engine, the combination with a cylinder, apiston therein, und a main crank shaft, of a. valve in .mid piston forcontrolling a port opening into said cylinder, a. valve stem for Saidvulve, u connecting rod operatively Connecting .said 11min crank shaftto said piston, a valve rml carried by :said connecting rod foroperating Suid valve through said valve stein, und un auxiliary crankmounted mi said crunk shaft for operating said Valve rod.

l0. In an internal combustion engine, the cmnbinntion with a cylinder, upiston therein, und u main crank shaft, of an auxiliary crank foroperatcrank mounted on Said ,main crank, 1.a. ii' meeting red for @peitively ffnutiigw auxiliary ciink to said piston, :new a t rotating saidauxiliary Crank about one-half a revolntinn 'for om. ze; the main crunk,n mire mounted t0n, a valve roti curriml rod. for operating; s mountedon sun? :iufmimy ing;r .said faire rml,

In trstimmiy 'wieereef In@ my hund.

VALTER

